The use and applications of thin-films to close substance containing sample cups are well recognized. An example of such a sample cup is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,630,989, entitled APPARATUS FOR TRIMLESS SAMPLE CUP USED IN X-RAY SPECTROSCOPY, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.
Such sample cups are intended and designed to accommodate samples that are generally available in abundant quantities. However, when the sample quantity is small, it may be unevenly distributed on the thin film leading to imprecise results. Further, in some cases, samples have been found to leak at the interface of the thin film and the sample cups. Thus, there is a need for a sample cup which is better suited for a smaller sample quantity and which facilitates relatively uniform distribution of the sample over the thin film window. There is a need for a sample cup which reduces the likelihood of leakage of the sample at the interface of the thin film and the sample cup.